Improvement in stealvi-emgines



NA'rHAn n. NASH, or wnsrnnnv, RHODE rs'LANn.

ihPROVEhdENT IN STEAWPENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Pate-nt No. 113,553, dated April ll, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN E. NAsn, of Westerly, in the county of Washington and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam-Engines; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactV description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in` steam-engines; and it consists in'an arrangement ot' four cylinders radially in a four or eight sided or circular piece of metal, and a connection of the pistons, in pairs, with the wrist-pin of the crank by one yoke or slotted bar, to which the two coincident piston-rods are connected; and it also consists ina novel arrangement on the crank-shaft, and with the ports of a notched rotary disk for opening and closing the ports, all as hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved engine taken on the line :v w of Fig. 2; F1g.2 is a sectional elevation taken on the llne y y of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the plate inclosing the steam-chest renolv'ed, and Fig. 4 is a face view ofthe valve- Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is a four or eight sided or rounded block with a large opening, B, in its longitudinal axis. This block, which is preferably cast in one piece, is as wide in its radial or transverse axis as is required for two cylinders of the length of the stroke of the engine, to be arranged with their axes coincident with each other, with sufficient space between for gearing with the crank-shaft C, which is to be arranged in the axis of the converging point of four cylinders, D, arranged radially in the block and equidistant from each other; and in the longitudinal axis of the block--it is to have sufcient breadth for containing the cylinders D, ports or passages E, and the steamchest F. The cylinders are to be bored completely through the block from the outer face to the opening B, or they may stop a little short and have small holes, G, for the pistonrods H, which holes are not fitted with. stuffing-boxes, which it is one of the objects ot' the invention to avoid, for reducing the friction. Four cylinders are used, so that the steam may be applied tothe piston only on the side opposite the-one from which the rod extends, which side is closed in by a head, I, and the other end left open. The pistons Kot the two coincident cylinders are connected by their rods H with a yoke or slotted bar, L, arranged perpendicular to the pistons, and taking the wrist-pin M of the crank in the slot. The yoke of each pair is connected .to the one wrist-pin. The two pairs are arranged in different parallel planes for allowing the .yokes to work sideby side to make this connection, N represents the steam-ports, which are arranged in one side of the block A, in a circle around the center, which may be of greater or lesser radius according to the nature of the case. Said ports open into the passages E leading therefrom to the outer ends of the cylinder. They are covered by the disk O, which is attached to the crankshaft, so as to rotate with it and be adjusted against the side of block A with sutlcient pressure to cover the ports steam-tight. This disk has a sleeve, l?, which projects out of the steam-chest through the cover Q, which is to be provided with a stuffing-box for packing steam-tight. This plate 0 has along notch, It, in its edge, extending nearly one-quarter of its circumference, which notch passes over the ports and uncovers them to the live steam. It is of' sufficient length to partly uncover one port before wholly covering the one behind it. S is a circular groove in the face of the disk which ts against the valve-seat or the side of block A, for forming a passage from the steamports to the annular groove T, from which the exhaust-passage V conducts it into the space VB, inolosed at the end by plate W, where it may impart its lubricating qualities to the working parts previous to escaping through the passage V, or it may be any other suitable escape passage' or pipe. The slotted bars or ykes L are intended to be tted in or on guides at the ends, to serve as cross-heads for piston-rods. The disk O is so adjusted on the shaft that the end of the notch It, which is in advance, will uncover each port just at the moment the piston of the cylinder into which the port uncovered leads is at the outermost position and begins to move inward; and it is intended to be arranged so that it may be adjusted either Way around the shaft for varying the lead.

I propose to introduce an adjustable ring in a groove in the block A, and arrange the ports through it so that, by shifting the ring baclr and forth, the point of cutting oft' may be varied.

Said ring may be turned by any suitable arrangement of apparatus capable of being actuated at the exterior-for instance, a pinion and shaft, the former gearing With the ring and the latter projecting through the case; or the said ring may be actuated automatically by a governor attached to the shaft inside the stuffing-box and Workin g by centrifugal force. The block A will be, especially in large engines, so shaped as to dispense with considerable amount of the surplus metal in the angles between the cylinders and other parts.

This improved engine being so much simpler in construction than the common reciprocating or oscillating engines,'the rst cost Will be greatly reduced, and it alitords a very great economy in space over the ordinary reciprocating engines. It is also entirely self-contained, and, being set either on one of the sides to arrange the shaft horizontally, or on the end for placing the shaft vertically', has a permanent base to rest on.

It Will be seen that only one stung-box is employed throughout the engine, thereby economizing in the power required to overcome friction in other engines.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The improved engine having ,four cylinders radiating at equidistant-pcints around the axis ofthe crank-shaft, the pistons of keach coincident pair connected to a slotted yoke or bar, .and said yokes or bars of both pairs connected to the one crank-pin, all substantially as specified.

2. The ports N and the annular exhaust passage T arranged in circles around the crank-shaft in the side of the block A, in which the cylinders are formed, and the combination therewith of the adjustable disk O, having the notch R and groove S, all substantially as specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 31st day of December, 1870.

vNA'lJEIAN E. NASH. GEO. W. MABEE, T. B. Mosman. 

